The Comical Hyacinths

Just in case you were wondering, the family are all back to their usual happy and healthy selves, so now things can get back to normality!

It's been a few weeks now but remember these guys? 

Well, after they were potted all nice and snug in their silver painted pots, it wasn't long before the soil started rising and the first signs of life were showing through!

And they grew and grew and grew until I didn't think they should be getting any taller and then thankfully they realised that too and didn't grow any more.

I was very pleased at how they turned out since it was the first thing I've really grown from bulb. In fact it was the first thing I'd ever grown. But hey, who's keeping count.

 

Gorgeous purple petals which meant no pesky kids messed with the bulbs at the flower show after all.

But here's the reality. They really look like this at the moment and getting worse by the day!

Now thanks to years of my husbands habits rubbing off of me, I did some research! It seems my flowers could be droopy for a number of reasons.

1. I over-watered
2. I didn't plant the bulbs deep enough. Apparently they should be at least 10cm below soil level. I don't think my pots are even 10cm deep.
3. Hyacinths droop naturally. Maybe not to this extent but they do.

Horror of all horrors! The nurseries, florists etc put stiff wire into the stems to keep them upright! I felt a bit better after reading that piece of information.

Despite the fact that they aren't attentive soldiers, they smell gorgeous! They've been drooping a little bit more as each day passes so I'll do as nature and let them "die" naturally before restoring the bulbs for next time. And next time I'll get it perfect!

Robyn x

Linking to:

A Beach Cottage Good Life Wedneday 

Aussie Friday: Aussie Love

The first year here in this Lucky Country Down Under is soon upon us, and there have been certain things very noticeable from the start.

These are my observations in no particular order;

1. Australian Rules Football - the ironic thing about this game is that it is actually a Victorian game. Victorian as in the people of the state of Victoria. Not those who lived in the late 19th and early 20th century. Only recently has this game spread out to the rest of the country. The big final is at the beginning of October. Apart from knowing how to hold the ball when kicking - for my young sons purpose of course, who still holds it incorrectly - that's about all I've learnt about the game. Oh no it's not! You don't support a team...you barrack for a team! I really need to do a separate post on this subject, because it's just completely baffling!

2. Vegemite - thick gooey black stuff that you spread on bread, toast or add to several meals. Or just have by the spoonful. Since it's loved by all Aussies - I can only guess that this is the first solids that a baby tastes. Similar to Marmite, Promite and Cenovis.

 

3. Ute's - I have explained what these are here. I must admit though, apart from being only a 2-seater vehicle I can see the attraction to these. They are really handy to have for picking up roadside finds or large thrifting treasures, not just for holding the booze at parties.

4. My first noticeable observation: Leggings! Everyone wears them. Young, old, tall, short, slim, large, new, holey, faded. But only in black.

5. SUV's /4x4's - the bigger the better! I'm getting one soon too! Hey, when in Australia do as the Australians!

6. Camping - I think we were the only family that stayed at home during the Easter weekend. Everyone else went camping. Trailers are packed at any time of year and off they go. Where? Who knows!

7. Personalised number plates - The standard Victoria plate is simply 3 letters and 3 numbers. Blue writing on white background. Personalise them and you can get them in pink, purple, black, red, blue and green. Probably a bigger variety of colours out there but these are what I've have seen so far.

8. Havaianas - everyone wears them.

source

9. Informality - this is still one I'm getting used to. Everyone calls you by your first name. No matter where you go or no matter who you are seeing, there is none of this Mr or Mrs. It's all on a first name basis.

10. Sushi. This also really deserves it's own post because I've started making my own at home. Will work on that in the next few weeks!

Of course there is so much more, but these are the things that stood out straight away. Many more observations have been made in the year we've been Down Under, and I am still noticing more things all the time.

Have a great weekend!

Robyn x

The Non Aussie Friday

I have been AWOL this week which wasn't intentional. I do actually have some things to write about it's just that this hasn't been a happy household this week.

I picked up some sort of allergy while in the park on Sunday which to date has resulted in 2 infectious eyes, one more puffy than the other. I have applied for the lead roll in a horror movie...no make-up required.

I've never had allergies before. Oh no wait, I do. I have an allergy to cleaning, ironing, washing and most other domestic household duties. Even if it is what I do everyday.

Hopefully all will be back to normal next week.

So instead of showing my big red infected puffy eyes, I'm showing you some pictures I have taken of the blossoming trees and ever beautiful Magnolia's from the 'hood.

Have a great weekend!

Robyn x

Aussie Fridays: Sale Time!

The sales have been going for a while now, and in my opinion the shops are getting pretty desperate to clear out the old to make way for the new!

The streets and shop windows are full of big red signs to lure you in and spend spend spend!

It all starts with the smaller discounts on the smaller items.

 

A few weeks into the sales when consumerism is low, they up the discount a little more and add a few of the bigger priced items into the bag.

Towards the end of the season, when the sun has made a few obligatory appearances, the shops start to panic and up the discount and sale stock.

We're at this point now. Prices on sale goods are ridiculously low. And now is the time to grab those items you've kept your eye on through this sale time. But there's a catch.

Wait too long and the item you had your eye on is no longer in your size, or the item has been treaded on when it slipped off the hanger and has been twisted out of shape. Or, if you're really honest with yourself? It just doesn't suit.

Next sales are Christmas time...and I've already done all my Christmas shopping...on sale. More on that another Friday!

Have a great weekend!

Robyn x

Models

You just can't get kids models to keep still while practising manual settings on a DSLR.

But there is always someone who is willing to participate and keep statue-still for as long as it takes...

Call me for bookings!

Robyn x

First Signs

After a gorgeous spring-like week last week, we are back to the cold and wet this week. While we still officially have a few weeks of winter left, it seems even the plants are anxious for some summer-loving-sun.

I grabbed my camera and headed out the door before the next shower of rain to capture the impatience of the plants, and true evidence that warm weather is on it's way!

I've also been practising my Aperture ;-)

The Magnolia trees in the 'hood are also starting to look truly gorgeous, so am going to use my shank's pony sometime soon and capture them over the next few weeks.

Robyn x

Linking to:

Aussie Fridays: Every Household Should Have It!

Today is Friday...again...which means a post about something authentically Australian.

Vegemite.

When we first arrived and began meeting people...and then talking to them in more depth...one of the questions that seemed to pop up more than once was "have you tried Vegemite?"


So when the next round came of the weekly shop, a small jar of vegemite was added to the trolley.

Vegemite is a dark brown food paste made from yeast extract. It can be used to spread on sandwiches, crackers, toast and in some cases...hot drinks. And every Australian loves it. In fact I'm convinced that when Aussie babies are weaned onto solids, Vegemite is the first thing they try! Ok not really...I'm certain it's a vegetable or fruit...but you never know. Any Aussies out there want to clarify? Robynne? Kate?

And because the Aussies love it so much, you can buy all sorts of sizes. From little ones to pop in your handbag to add to any take-away...to majorly extra large for the store cupboard.

There is a whole section of the supermarket shelf dedicated to vegemite.

 

Can you spot the interloper?

History lesson:

1.  Vegemite was invented in 1922 when British Marmite imports were disrupted after WW1. 
2. In 1984, Vegemite was the first Australian product to be electronically scanned at checkout.
3. The 1 billionth jar of vegemite was sold in October 2008.

And now you can also get Vegemite Cheese. Not tried that yet, but not sure I really want to. I grew up with Marmite and remember having it everyday on my sandwiches in my final year of school. Now I use vegemite in casseroles, lasagne, bolognaise mince and on the odd occassion... spread on some rice cakes.

It's an acquired taste, and you either hate it or love it! And yes...I did take these photo's in the supermarket.

Now go forth and try!

Have a great weekend.

Robyn x

Spring Prepping

With less than a month to go, it's time to start prepping for spring. Sure..there are lots of things that are going to be needing to be done..like spring cleaning. But it's not spring yet, so I'm not going to worry about that just yet. It's all about priorities.

Instead I have made my first brew of Limoncello  from Sarah at A Beach Cottage. If you know or have been to Sarah's blog, then you'll know that this brew isn't quite as yellow as it should be. There's a perfectly valid reason for that.

A Beach Cottage

My lemon peels sat in the vodka for what must by now have been at least a month. When I decanted the vodka this morning the vodka was a nice bright yellow and there was almost no colour left in the lemon peel. So far so good.

A back track. Neither my husband or I take sugar in our hot drinks. Apart from when I'm baking, I don't use sugar at all...and that's almost always only caster sugar anyway. But I do like to keep some in my store cupboard anyway. Just in case. I also keep some brown sugar in the store cupboard. Just in case.

I knew I had white sugar in the store cupboard today when I planned on completing this process. What I didn't know was that I wouldn't have enough. So to plan B it was. Use up all my white sugar and the difference in brown sugar. And that's why my Lemoncillo is a little off colour.

Might be off colour, but this is pretty potent stuff!

I'm waiting for my neighbour Paul to fill a bag of lemons for me from his mom's place, and then I'll be making batch number 2. And I have already bought a new bag of white sugar!

Robyn x

ps One day my photo's will be as good as Sarah's

I Wouldn't Know Otherwise

Ever wondered what your little one does at kinder/pre-school? Do you ask them after every session, only to be told "I can't remember", "I don't know" or the best of them all - "nothing".

Then they come home next time with armfuls of box construction, painting, crafts, drawings all all other manner of items when they did nothing.

At the end of every term at the little man's kinder, a list is put next to the sign-in book with all the sessions for the next term/semester. The idea is to put your name down 3-4 times during the term when you are able to help out.

Today for me was such a day. Kinder duty. Five hours of being a fly on the wall and seeing just what happens during these sessions.

It's very interesting to see what all the munchkins get up to...who belongs in which "gang" and which children have formed a firm friendship with one of the others. The amazing thing is that although there are definite firm friendships, they all mix with one another or spend some time by themselves.

Space has been the theme for these first few weeks of term 3 and the kinder is adorned with all manner of take-away salad bowl spacehips, popsicle stars, a canvas of the universe and moons and even a refrigerator box rocket!

If it weren't for the A3 scrapbook of pictures and explanations of what exactly they are doing...and unless you do kinder duty sessions...you would really think that they do in fact do "nothing".

And if 5 hours is not enough, they head straight for the park next door for another hour or so!

Robyn x